"It was a very traumatic time for a young faculty person in the English department, and a time that I will never forget," Ambrose said.

A Bunkie native, she grew up a literature junkie and graduated from Grambling State University.

She later earned her master's degree at Indiana University, where she said she was the only black person in many classes and often being looked down upon for her skin color.

From Indiana, she came to Southern and Ambrose became active in the Faculty Senate under the faculty leadership of Dolores Spikes, who would later become president of Southern.

Ambrose helped develop Southern's first African-American literature course.

"We were busy trying to be a voice of the faculty at that time," Ambrose said of her efforts with her mentor Spikes.

"Never, not in a million years, did I think I'd ever become chancellor," Ambrose said.

Regardless of her personal plans, Ambrose slowly moved toward her current job one position at a time. She did so mostly following Spikes' lead.

Spikes became assistant to the chancellor and Ambrose soon became assistant to the vice chancellor of academic affairs.

"Dr. Spikes felt that we, perhaps, could do more to help faculty and staff and students if we were inside the administration," Ambrose said.

She continued on the path until she became executive vice chancellor in 2005. When Chancellor Ed Jackson stepped down this year, Ambrose took over the same day.

Unsure about the future, Ambrose said she is too focused on Southern in the present to worry.

--Associated Press